


Early sunsets

by Raisedyoulikeaphoenix



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Character Death, Ghosts, Insanity, M/M, Sad Ending, Sad sad sad sorry, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-16 19:33:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1359277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raisedyoulikeaphoenix/pseuds/Raisedyoulikeaphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean Winchester is a nerdy ghost believing teen, it's almost a dream come true when he discovers a ghost named Castiel and finding himself loving something that's undead, throughout a series of meetings the two grow stronger desperate to join Castiel in the afterlife he loses touch with reality itself. (Unhappy ending warning)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Early sunsets

"Dean I'm telling you the basement is off limits, keep Sammy and you behind this gate. I'll be right back." Mary Winchester instructs her oldest son Dean who only scrawled at her, returning his interest in a book, Sam who meanwhile was only ten kept clinging his race cars together over and over again.

The Winchesters had moved _once again_ to a new home and city. Lawrence Kansas, wasn't great and it wasn't bad it was enough for John to land his feet in a new job, their mother was busy unpacking leaving thirteen year old Dean to watch Sam. Not the first time or last.

"Dean. Why did we move again?" Sam asks holding the green car now pushing the cars in a circular motion. 

Dean frustrated slammed the book on the counter, "because dad works _a lot_ as a spy agent and we always have to move." Dean lies easily knowing it was simpler to say than that their father had gotten drunk _again_ at work punching his boss during a argument, forcing the Winchesters to move hopefully for the last time.

"But you said that last time when we moved from North Dakota and Virginia." Sam protests, Dean could only wish that Sam could understand, that would make Dean's life simpler. 

It was almost easy to lie now.

"Yeah, but what do you expect?" Dean sighs, grabbing his dog eared copy of _The Hobbit_ the current only book that wasn't packed away, he had read it at least four times now. He stared at the empty kitchen hearing his mother instruct the movers where to put everything, he sat the book down unlocking the gate, grabbing Sam's hand, "where are we going?"

"Exploring." Dean opened the basement door, it was dark and dank smelled of mould and there was a coldness Dean couldn't explain even though it was July, he held the door ajar finding the light switch, Sam shivered. 

"But dad and mom said we can't!" Sam cried out, using all of his body weight he tried to stay in the brightly lit kitchen, "what if the boogey man comes or a kidnapper?!" Sam was beginning to list all of his childhood fears, "what if there's a _clown_?!" Sam was on the verge of exposing Dean rebelling against his parents will. 

Dean didn't care, he didn't care if his father came home and beat him like he did when Dean came home with a grade lower than a C, what did he expect, then having to lie when his teacher asked how his eye gotten blackened. Dean listened to his little brother's cries while climbing down the creaking stairs they came into a cold basement, that had some of the Winchesters Christmas decorations, old photos and empty boxes were scattered by the movers. 

"Dean I don't like it down here, it smells like Grandpa's house." Sam whined, Dean scoffed looking around the basement he only could wonder who once lived there, he pushed the rims of his glasses up his nose. 

The lights began to flicker on and off, Dean breathed and could see his breath he cursed knowing if the lights went all the way off, Sam would cry out like a big baby and their mother would hear it and ground Dean then his father would hear about it and it would be even worse than being grounded.

Sam whined, "Sammy shut up, do you want to be a big baby or a superhero like uh _Batman_." Dean scolded, to his surprise Sam listened sitting down on the lower staircase, Dean smiled even in the dim light. 

There was a door inside the basement, it was a old room which reeked as much as the rest of the basement only much more. Soggy mouldy boxes sat filled with old _Life, Time_ magazines dating back to the early nineties. A few sweaters and jeans laid inside, Dean heard the movers feet upstairs shifting boxes and Mary laughing. Dean could only imagine it was her third glass of white wine.

"What are you doing?" A curious voice caused Dean to jump, "why are you in my stuff?"

Dean dropped the fourth box which contained more books, turning he saw a small boy looking closer he was older than Dean almost old enough to be in high school, he had blue piercing eyes dark chestnut hair and he wore jeans and a trenchcoat, his hands were in his pocket for a moment Dean wondered how he had gotten into his basement. 

"Who- how what are you doing in the basement are you lost or a runaway?" Dean asked, "this is my house."

The boy scoffed, "yeah. Sure." The boy grabbed the doorknob, "your brother by the way is already upstairs he's whining about how you took him into the basement."

Dean felt his stomach drop, "you're lying, yo-you should go away, before my dad sees you." 

Dean looked into the basement and sure enough, Sam was gone leaving a yellow car on the floor. Dean shoved it into his pocket, "damn it Sammy." He mumbled.

"He won't see me, I'm Castiel by the way." Castiel says briefly while Dean climbs up the stairs, "and you are?"

Dean was breathless as he reached the top of the stairs, Castiel stood there with a smug grin plastered across his face. "I'm Dean Winchester, and I-."

"Dean Winchester! You better get up here right now!" Mary cried out, Dean rolled his eyes, "I have to go, before." He gestured his hand colliding across his face. 

"Nice meeting you Dean, I'll see you around?" Castiel asked, Dean nodded as he turned the knob to face his mother who held a crying Sam. 

"Dean, you can explain to your father why you were down there with Sam! You could of been hurt or even worse." Mary managed to shout at Dean even though though movers were in the same room.

Dean blocked it out, he took Mary's useless shouting and he didn't even bother to threaten Sam at lunch- instead he kept it to himself a teenager was in his basement, Dean knew from enough episodes of ghost shows and movies including his personal favourite _Ghostbusters_ that who ever lived down there wasn't and hadn't been alive for a long time.

///

At least two years pass and Dean had forgotten almost that Castiel was real, thinking it had been a bad dream all itself. His father stopped drinking and began to keep a stable job selling cars, even allowing Dean promising him that if he kept his grades up all year he would be allowed to buy a car of his own. 

Lawrence high wasn't the greatest school nor the worst, Dean was a nerd to every jock, shoved in lockers whenever they got a chance- Sam was starting eighth grade, Dean was doing well in all of his classes met one or two friends and still hadn't received any grades lower than a 'C'.

He went down into the basement one day, grabbing a new lightbulb he was leaving the room when the lights began to flicker on and off again. Sending a chilling cold breeze into the room, Dean paused turning he saw Castiel again. 

Castiel wore almost the same outfit, the trenchcoat a sweater and black jeans, his converse were faded scoffed up. 

"Hello Dean, I thought we would be see each other around? What happened?" Castiel shrugged, Dean wondered if it occurred to him that it had been two years not just a week. "Don't tell me, you got school?"

Dean sat the lightbulb on the shelf, "It's nearly Thanksgiving. It's been two years Castiel I barely even know you, besides aren't you dead?" Dean sighed, "you are a ghost _right_? You do know that?" Shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

"First person to see me in years and figures out I'm dead, aren't I a lucky guy," Castiel sits at the same stair Sam sat at almost two years ago. 

"I didn't mean to offend you, it's just I don't know what to say." 

Castiel runs his hands through his hair, holding his hands in defeat, "what to know how I died? Usually that's the main idea people ask about, or why you can see me?" 

"No. But I think the reason I see you is because I believe in all that stuff." Dean feels his face become hot, embarrassment flooding him.

"Stuff?"

"Ghosts and monsters." 

"Oh."

"I'll see you around I guess." Castiel says, "maybe we can hangout later?"

"Yeah maybe." Dean grabs the lightbulb leaving Castiel. 

Dean frowned as Castiel vanished, he heard his father call out for him leaving him isn't something he wanted to do but it was better than being smacked across his head.

///

"Dean do you know what day it is?" Sam asked excitedly he was gobbling down the chocolate chip cookies Mary had made, it was Christmas Eve the Winchesters tree stood perfectly with all the decorations and lights shined perfectly.

"Christmas Eve Sammy, aren't you too old for Santa anyway?" Dean reached for the last two cookies sticking his tongue out in the process. "I think I'll go downstairs."

"Dean, why do you even go down there? It's creepy." Sam wonders drinking his egg nog, his parents were out at a Christmas party leaving their sons alone _again_.

"Because it's better than watching frosty the snowman or fricking how the grinch screwed Mrs. Claus." Dean replied sourly as he slammed the basement door, Sam didn't see Castiel or anyone else for that matter. 

Climbing down the stairs he saw that the basement was it's usually cold chilliness without a missing a beat Castiel appeared in a red sweater still in his usual trenchcoat he also sported a red Santa hat, Dean was the opposite wearing all black he appeared to be bah humbug of Christmas. 

"Dean! You came, sorry it's not like upstairs but, I thought we could share this." Castiel held up a bottle of wine, "I stole it from your parents collection, sorry."

Dean grabbed it, "well I brought cookies and- is that a mistletoe?" Dean was flabbergasted he pointed at the only sign that it was Christmas, "before we drink anything we stay over here." Dean pointed towards the lumpy old sofa John had dragged down there almost a month ago. 

"How's Sam?" Castiel asked, pouring a small amount of wine into a paper cup grabbing it Dean nearly gagged wondering how his parents could even taste it.

"He's fine."

Dean watches Castiel rest his hand on his lap, he doesn't try to move it. The iciness of his touch shivers Dean down to his bones. 

"How did you die?" Dean asked he thought he would never ask, thinking it would be rude.

To his surprise Castiel doesn't vanish or even become angered his expression is neutral, "my father was a drunk never around- unless it was dawn my mother left years ago he ended up with me and my two other siblings he had one evening come home too drunk, the bar had kicked him out he tried to take it out on my sister so being the oldest I fought back."

Dean pulled the loose threads off his jeans, he knew too how his father could become aggressive and hurt him or Sam. 

"What happened?"

"Dad finally grabbed ahold of my neck, he shoved me down the basement and which I died- my dad didn't even cry he just took my body and a fresh bag of cement there was a hole over in my _so called room_ and that's were I'm buried." Castiel finished shortly.

Dean no longer wanted to drink in fact, he clenched his stomach wondering if he was going to hurl, he looks at Castiel who nodded. 

Dean took Castiel's hand, not knowing how to feel he pulled him quickly underneath the mistletoe. Before Castiel could protest or even ask, Dean caressed his face gently exploring it he linked their lips together kissing gently as Castiel breathed softly. Dean stated into Castiel's eyes unbelieving that he had kissed him.

"Dean I-."

There was a rumble of footsteps as the basement door flew open exposing a very angered John Winchester with a hysterical Sam trailing behind him, "Dean what the hell are you doing down here?!" John shouted grabbing Dean's arm he exchanged a frantic look at Castiel who was helpless. 

"Nothing dad, I just-." Dean tried to explain, he felt the wrath of John as he slapped his oldest son across the face making Dean's ears ring. "Sneaking down in the basement with wine? What is wrong with you boy, you think you can just...I don't even know what I'm going to do with you anymore."

"Dad- Dean was just mad at me for hogging the TV." Sam trembled watching his father drag Dean up the stairs once more. "So he went downstairs it's _my fault_."

"Sam. You stay out of this, I've warned you Dean again and again I have no choice, other than to seek medical help for you- there's _nothing_ there!" John stated flatly, Dean looked at Sam for the last time before he shook his head.

It felt like a punch in the gut, Sam too thought Dean was crazy.

Castiel was there! Why couldn't Sam or his dad see? His father didn't care or listen, dragging Dean up the stairs he knew then it would be a long time until he saw Castiel again.

///  
 _Three months later_

"And you say, Dean that the 'Cas' you speak of is in this very room?" The psychiatrist asked him as Dean's eyes were focused on the spare chair, Castiel smiled at him waving.

Dean was in a hospital to _get better_ , after the episode at Christmas he was no longer aloud to be alone in fact the only times he was alone was when he slept.

"Yeah. Cas is- When is my brother coming to visit?" Dean says tightly as the psychiatrist can only offer him a blank look. 

"Didn't think dad would want Sammy to see his brother the wacko." Dean sighs heavily as the psychiatrist tells him the time is up for the day and Dean on the way back to his room checks the nurse station to see if Sam or even his parents were stopping by. 

The nurse told him no, and Dean managed to keep the nurse busy while he carefully grabbed a pen from the front desk slipping it beneath his sleeve then an orderly grabbed ahold of him, he was shoved into his room alone again.

To most looking from the outside, Dean was crazy, the doctors had placed him as bipolar, depressed and a threat to others. He sat the pen on his bed unsure what he could do.

Picking it up he pressed the pen deeply into his left wrist, he felt the heat rise to his face he had pressed the pen in too deep. He tried to retrieve it dragging it more. 

He drops the pen, covering his wrist as the room became colder.

"Hello Dean." Castiel's voice was soft as he came from behind him, he was always wondering why or how Castiel was able to follow him now he thought he was bound to the basement, it didn't matter now since Dean hadn't seen his family since a tearful Mary left him. 

"Cas, what's it like being dead?" Dean says slowly, he sits on the bed staring at the pen.

Castiel's face becomes panicked he takes ahold of Dean's hand thinking that Cas would tell him everything would be okay or even offer to stay even longer with him.

"Dean you don't want to be dead, it's not fun you can't be seen by anyone, people who can see you tend to be scared or even worse-." Castiel says quickly he stares at Dean's hands that were almost bone white covering his wrist.

"What did you do?" 

Castiel peeled Dean's hands off his left wrist which let out a great deal of blood spreading onto the blankets, Dean smiled meekly, "too late to turn back now?" He let the pen drop onto the floor.

"Dean no." Castiel's voice is barely a whisper knowing he is helpless unable to stabilise the wound on his wrist, it was simply a matter of time before Dean joined him too. 

"Cas I love you, I just wanted to be with you-besides did you really think I would _g-get out_?" His lip trembled, watching Castiel lie next to him while he died was almost peaceful, "we can go anywhere- d-do a-nything."

"Dean this isn't how you should of died, I'm sorry."

"Don't be Cas, it's not your fault."

There's a silence, Castiel sees Dean close his eyes letting out his last breath before he knew it Dean was gone.

"Oh Dean." Castiel says softly. He couldn't imagine how desperate the teen was for love, ending his own life, for a chance with Castiel.

Dean felt light, almost feather thin as he noticed his body was no longer active he grabbed Castiel's hand causing him to jump.

Dean stood next to Castiel, and for the first time he could feel Castiel the way he felt alive his skin was warm his smile was bright, Castiel enveloped him in a kiss that actually left Dean with tingles down his spine.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Dean laughs, making Castiel curse beneath his breath.

"You realise you're stuck at the hospital now until they move your body right?" Castiel points at Dean's dead body and Dean only shrugs.

"Better make the best of it then." Dean took Castiel's hand for support leading them away from his room, a few moments later a nurse came into Dean's room for his dinner they didn't even hear her screams for help walking down the hallway in which orderlies and a few nurses ran towards the screaming nurse they were alone in their own world.

_End_


End file.
